Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The Wheels Of Justice Grind Exceeding Fine

... and slow. Proof of this latter precept came from Bill Shaikin, who informs us that the Dodgers (read: Frank McCourt) wants the bankruptcy court to delay until December 12 the disposition of a forced sale of the team. Earlier in the week, MLB asked the judge to force a sale of the team on the grounds that McCourt has one exit and one exit only from bankruptcy, and that path is through a pre-sale of television rights, one which MLB will never permit ("The only path to emergence [from bankruptcy] is through a sale of the Dodgers"). MLB also threatened the team with possible removal from the league if McCourt fails to hand the team over, a first.

The motion asks the court to appoint a committee to represent the interests of the approximately 17,000 Dodgers season ticket holders, described as "the real stakeholders" in the case. The Dodgers and the official creditors' committee each have opposed the formation of a committee to represent season ticket holders, according to the filing, and so the U.S. trustee assigned to the case has denied the ticket holders standing "at this time."

The Dodgers have stifled "the basic desire of its most loyal and financially invested fans on whose goodwill they are dependent -- the season ticket holders -- to have a seat at the table in this reorganization," the filing reads.

It ain't over 'til it's over, but man ...

Update: Bill Shaikin, again doing yeoman's work, reports Fox is suing the Dodgers "seeking unspecified damages and order that any sale TV rights sale comply with current contract"; the net effect is "to try to stop #Dodgers proposed sale of TV rights, key to McCourt's strategy to emerge from bankruptcy as owner."

MLBPA will monitor "carefully" Dodgers spending. Presumably this is more about players getting their salaries. Supposedly the team has enough to pick up high-dollar free agents, but I remain unimpressed.